Stokes tops IPL bidding war despite court date

BANGALORE, India, Jan 27(AFP): England's star allrounder Ben Stokes topped the Indian Premier League auction on Saturday selling for $1.96 million despite a looming court case for assault.

On a day in which the eight IPL teams spent over $50m on talent, Stokes's deal with Rajasthan Royals came ahead of Indian batsmen Lokesh Rahul and Manish Pandey and Australians Chris Lynn, Mitchell Starc and Glenn Maxwell in the top prices paid. But England captain Joe Root and wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow, and star batsmen Chris Gayle of West Indies and Hashim Amla of South Africa failed to attract bids.

Veteran Sri Lanka paceman Lasith Malinga also went unsold but the franchises have the option of getting them back on the auction table Sunday. Rajasthan Royals, returning to the world's wealthiest cricket league from a two-year match-fixing ban, paid $200,000 less than the record laid out for Stokes last year by Rising Pune .